WARNING: This article contains mild spoilers for the latest episode of Arrow, "The Thanatos Guild."
On Arrow, Roy Harper was quickly introduced as Oliver Queen's sidekick, a role that would see actor Colton Haynes step from recurring guest star to series regular between the first and second seasons. During that time, Roy went from being a kid from the mean streets of Star City to the Arrow's protege, undergoing arduous fight and archery training before donning his trademark red hood to first become Speedy, then Arsenal. But late in the game of Arrow's third season, Roy left Star City behind. Haynes would eventually return for a guest stint in Season 4, and a few weeks ago resurfaced once again for a (possibly final) two-part visit.
In the latest episode of the CW series, the cast of Arrow bid farewell to Thea Queen, a character who has been a part of the series ever since its pilot, and Roy's love interest throughout his appearances. The two characters effectively walked off into the sunset together, on their own adventure, but not before Roy Harper donned a new superhero costume, one lifted straight from the red-hooded archer's days as part of the cast of the New 52 title, Red Hood and the Outlaws.
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In "The Thanatos Guild," Oliver Queen, his sister Thea and Roy team up with Nyssa Al Ghul to fight against the Thanatos Guild, a splinter group of the disbanded League of Assassins sworn to follow the work of Malcolm Merlyn. As the superheroes head into battle, Thea Queen puts on her Speedy costume, an outfit that had been bequeathed to her by Roy himself after he had left Star City. Therefore, now that Roy has to suit back up, he can no longer put on his old suit. Instead, he finds a new costume to put on. With a more tactical combat suit and jacket on, Roy is armed with his bow and quiver, complete with a baseball cap on his head. And it isn't just any baseball cap -- it's one lifted straight from the comics.
Fans of DC's comics will instantly recognize the cap as the one worn by Roy Harper in the New 52 series Red Hood and the Outlaws, by writer Scott Lobdell and artist Kenneth Rocafort. For this 2011 continuity revamp, Roy teamed up with the Red Hood/Jason Todd and Starfire, and he was sporting a new costume that saw him don a baseball cap -- an element that became a signature look for the character going forward.
The cap worn by Colton Haynes' Harper is clearly a nod to the one from the comics. While the cap in the source material is of a dark gray color, the one on Arrow bore Arsenal's trademark maroon color. However, the crown-like logo on its front is exactly the same.
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It's possible that "The Thanatos Guild" featured the last Arrowverse appearance of Colton Hayne's Roy Harper, but the episode still managed to offer fans an organic way to include a nod to one of Roy's more recognizable costumes -- a costume we imagine Roy will be wearing as he travels the world alongside Nyssa Al Ghul and Thea Queen.
Airing Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on The CW, Arrow stars Stephen Amell, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Emily Bett Rickards, Rick Gonzalez, Echo Kellum, Juliana Harkavy, Kirk Acevado, Paul Blackthorne and Katie Cassidy.